Downtown Baltimore belongs to the ninjas this weekend. And the airbenders, the Pokemon, the spirits, the video game protagonists, and all the other characters that Asian pop culture has produced over the years.

Yes, the annual Japanese anime Otakon Convention running from July 27-29 has descended on Charm City once again.

Maxx Gaigler and Brittany Reidy of Severna Park, meanwhile, were dressed as Marshall Lee, a vampire from the show Adventure Time, and Ariel from the Little Mermaid.

A walk down Pratt Street reveals hundreds more costumes that attendees spent time crafting themselves. For example, Jeff Anderson, or as his self-created character is known ­— Sir-Goffery — who sported a hand-crafted wooden sword and longbow to go along with his ninja-like costume.

Between 27,000 and 30,000 visitors are expected for the annual convention, Visit Baltimore CEO Tom Noonan said. For the out of towners attending Otakon, it isn’t uncommon to sleep four or more to a hotel room, Noonan said. Visit Baltimore blocks off about 6,000 rooms for the annual convention that draws upwards of 25,000 each year.

Even with a high temperature expected to be in the mid-90s, these passionate fans were walking the streets in full wardrobe and makeup on Friday morning. While many Otakon veterans were wise to pre-register for the convention to beat crowds — and the heat — others had to wait in lines that stretched around two sides of the Baltimore Convention Center.